Republican presidential frontrunner Michelle Bachmann and fellow lagging candidate Rick Santorum both recently signed a highly controversial document in support of family values. The document – “The Marriage Vow – A Declaration of Dependence upon Marriage and Family” from Family Leader, a conservative group in Iowa, contained some pretty hot button topics; urging the candidates to reject same-sex marriage, pornography, and Sharia law. But the item generating the most controversy was a claim attempting to somehow link slavery to modern day family values. To wit, the document claimed that “…a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President.”

In their attempt the whitewash the damage already done, a spokesman from the group issued the following statement:

After careful deliberation and wise insight and input from valued colleagues we deeply respect, we agree that the statement referencing children born into slavery can be misconstrued, and such misconstruction can detract from the core message of the Marriage Vow: that ALL of us must work to strengthen and support families and marriages between one woman and one man. We sincerely apologize for any negative feelings this has caused, and have removed the language from the vow.

First, the comparisons between slavery and today are simply ludicrous with no real account of history. While it’s true that over the past few decades – especially since the Civil Rights movements – there has been a noted disintegration of the black family and abortion wasn’t exactly popularized during slavery, these people from Family Leader are clearly absent of one of the true atrocities of slavery. How many families were broken up as slaves were sold off like cattle? How much mating was forced on blacks to produce more able-bodied slaves? How many family lineages were destroyed after slave owners raped and impregnated enslaved women? If conservatives nt to focus on the voluntary disintegration of the family (if there ever was such a thing), using slavery for political points is preposterous.

It’s silliness like this that will all, but assure that Blacks as a whole will never support the Republican agenda. Even as black people generally hold many of the same morally (if not socially) conservative views as Republicans, they also recognize the consistent practice of conservatives to casually and insensitively make observations that completely ignore history. Even now when conservatives offer scathing analyses of black pathologies in the modern day, they fail to do so with proper social context. In short, they love to point out the problem areas, but never take into account the social factors in play that precipitate certain behaviors. Look no further than the recent trends of ahistoricism we’ve seen from neocons and Tea Party activists who have made deities of the Founding Fathers, while conveniently ignoring the legacy of slavery by which many of them benefitted.

Secondly, I can’t say enough about how annoying it is to watch conservatives sing the same off-key song about the sanctity of marriage and family; resting their case by rallying against wedlock and single parenthood found in the so-called “black community.” They love to spout off damning statistics which vilify blacks who have children born out of wedlock but will sit quiet when whites do the same thing. Uh, anybody ever watch MTV’s hit reality show Teen Mom? Lest my point be completely lost, can we not forget about one, Bristol Palin, who stands proof-positive that being a pregnant, unwed white girl is formula for success? Between her book, a TV show, and serious cash for being a “motivational speaker”, we have some evidence (albeit, outlying evidence) that single motherhood is not viewed in the same light for everyone. *As a side note: it’s odd to me that conservatives will decry having babies out of wedlock while ALSO trying to dictate reproduction rights.*

Third, what’s the deal with this vow nonsense anyway? Republicans (and yes, Democrats too) have a history of breaking promises, especially as it relates to marriage. So exactly what kind of legitimacy should we expect out of this? Candor dictating, I’m sick to death of hearing white conservatives acting as if they are somehow the exemplars of morality when – in reality – they are the complete antithesis. We have seen countless examples (and this is just in recent years) of “family values” conservatives involved in all sorts of kinky stuff. So it stands to reason that signing cheesy pledges will not stop anyone, including people vying for the White House, from engaging in the very same practices they claim to abhor.

Finally, backtracking on a statement doesn’t remove the sentiment behind it…at least, as the case may be, in politics. Most of us can make a claim or comment that is factually incorrect or unknowingly insensitive. And when brought to our attention, we simply say “I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please accept my apology.” But in this instance, one has to wonder if Family Leader and conservatives of that ilk truly sincerely remorseful or if they believe what they are saying and are just offering a damage-control apology. I don’t know much about Family Leader, I’ll be the first to admit. But following the history of conservative politics, I’d bet they have little for which they are truly apologetic. I’m pretty confident statements like this and sentiments like theirs will continually find there way into headlines…immediately following some tepid apology. Let’s face it: that’s just how they roll.

Like anything, though, I suppose there is a silver lining here. At least in the preamble, they pointed out how “disastrous” slavery was. Baby steps, right?

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20 comments on “Slavery and The Family Stone: Why Conservatives STILL Don’t Get It”

I’m not sure that abortion was the target of this pledge. I think it was the disintegration of the two parent home. They may even be factually correct (even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while) that a child of slave parents would be more likely to be in a home with both parents than black children today (I don’t know if this is true, and your point about slave families being broken up on the block is well made). The part that is additionally outrageous to me is the suggestion that this alleged state of affairs has come to pass since 2008. THAT is utterly ahistorical- the decline of the two parent home (white and black) has been well documented for a number of decades. It is interesting to note that since, say, 1952, Republicans have held the Presidency for 36 years as opposed to the Democrat’s 22 (Eisenhower 8 years, Nixon/Ford 8 years, Reagan/Bush 12 years, Bush II 8 years vs Kennedy/Johnson 8 years, Carter 4 Years, Clinton 8 years and Obama 2 years). It would seem that the decline in the family happened on their watch.
(Please note this comment is not offered in opposition to what you wrote, but as a supplement.) Carry on.

I admit, the slavery reference was stupid and insenstive. But I don’t think it was conservatives way of saying blacks were better off. I think it was more their way of letting the country’s history off the hook for the issues blacks are currently dealing with. I think they were making the point that liberal ideology – not history – is the problem. So some of the criticism I’m seeing from liberals is a little unfair.

Going on another tangent: I found your comments about the founding fathers and conservatives’ so-called ‘moral highground’ spot on. Conservatives in this country tend to have a pretty serious weakness when it comes to grappling with the non-ideological complexity of historical fact.

As a white, unashamed, conservative, God-loving woman, I’m shocked by this pledge and the people who signed it. This kind of stuff may bother you, but it bothers me MORE because we all get lumped in the same bunch. I’m conservative and I typically vote Republican, but I am NOT…repeat NOT crazy like these people. You guys aren’t the only ones sick and tired of this. Unfortunately, the idiots of the far right get all the headlines. We get none. If you want the truth of the matter, I still can’t believe the Family Leader put this into a “pledge” and that Bachmann signed it.

Most Republican’s are not bigoted creeps. The problem is, being a bigoted creep gets attention and just being a “normal” person does not.

Hi Miranda,
The press isn’t trying to find nice, decent, honest conservatives like you, they’re trying to vilify conservatives by pointing out the worst in the bunch. It’s the same tack that was used against Jews in Germany or Iraq, blacks and homosexuals in the U.S.. The idea is to find the worst and convince people that’s the norm. It’s disgusting propaganda…. but unfortunately, it works. Even on people that were once it’s victims.

Nobody is saying that slavery was better for African-Americans. But they ARE pointing out alarming numbers. While I don’t know the numbers, I don’t doubt its accuracy. Almost 70 percent of black children are born to single mothers. This is sick and staggering and the continuing dependence on government handouts only exascerbates the problem. Forget the poor way they delivered the message. Focus on the message itself.

If you’re looking for a solid model for family values, look no further than the plantation. They had the perfect two-parent households. Granted, the father was the slave master and the mother was a slave. SMH

Hey Dre,
“It’s silliness like this that will all, but assure that Blacks as a whole will never support the Republican agenda.”

Wow, this really ticked black people off…..I’ll bet the conservatives (especially Michelle Bachman) are going to lose the two black people that would have voted for them instead of President Obama.

OK, now that I’ve had my fun.

Certainly this was a stupid and insensitive thing for the neocons to do. It seems they never really understand how offensive they can be. However, I was a little shocked at the amount of anecdotal evidence your using to support the notion that social conservatives have no moral standing. Bristol Palin??? If conservatives are every bit as bad morally, why not show some facts instead of always pointing at examples? More Republican than Dems in jail? More broken families? More drugs? More out of wedlock births? More child abuse? Surely there’s some facts somewhere to support this notion.

Do you READ newspapers? Do you WATCH the news? There are too many examples of elected officials, religious folks, and people of authority caught in some kind of scandal. These scandals are no better than a teenage black girl getting pregnant. Give me a break. You conservatives amaze me.

Mike,
Examples ARE NOT facts. They only prove something happened once. Do you use examples against other people? If one black guy commits a crime does that make all black guys criminals? If one gay guy commits a rape are all gay guys rapists? It seems your selective about who you’ll judge by example. Show me the stats. BTW, despite the fact that I use Conservative in my name, I’m a registered Democrat and I voted for President Obama as everyone here knows. Once again, your so quick to judge and categorize. Help me out Mike, show me some stats and shed the examples, then we can have a civil discussion.

Mike,
I don’t like my first sentence, let me try again. Examples can be a fact of that specific incident, but they don’t prove the larger point. What I’m looking for is valid, peer reviewed statistics or scientific studies that show conservatives are as/or more, immoral than their Democrat counterparts. I will gladly give you stats on teenage pregnancy from liberal sources.

Hey Mike,
That’s quite a blanket statement, but I give up. You seem very intelligent, I was hoping you would consider that your bias may be clouding your judgment. Stereotyping is almost always a wrong way to go. Sure, they’re usually rooted in some truth, but they are so unfair to those in the group that don’t fit that stereotype. If you want conservatives to change, don’t just oppose the bad, also support the good.

By Bachmann and Santorum’s estimiation, slavery was a booming success for Black Americans and they hope to bring the frequently maligned institution back to the American forefront. This time though, every creed, tribe and race will qualify for this wonderful lifestyle. All you need is to be broke.

If this doesn’t blow Bachmann and Santorum’s campaigns to smithereens, or any of the other candidates who may sign it, than nothing will. Bachmann has also said she hopes that high unemployment will help her campaign and that pornography should be banned. I tell you she is the best thing to happen to Democrats since George W. If Dems can’t make a winning political issue out of this from this pledge, than they probably don’t even deserve to win in 2012.

Right! How dare they trivialize something that ended hundreds of years ago and no one alive today ever experienced. They should definitely act like it ended yesterday if it will help them secure even a tiny bit of victimization. All the while, Democrats are lapping this up! Their base is secure.

Josh, slavery may be over but its affects still linger. Its far-reaching consequences impact the lives of MANY African Americans, even 146 years since it was abolished. It is extemely difficult, if not impossible, just to trace one’s lineage, let alone get over the lasting impacts that came from centuries of captivity. I’m not saying that we should all act like victims. But don’t think that what’s happened in the past stayed there.

Mike,
I don’t like my first sentence, let me try again. Examples can be a fact of that specific incident, but they don’t prove the larger point. What I’m looking for is valid, peer reviewed statistics or scientific studies that show conservatives are as/or more, immoral than their Democrat counterparts. I will gladly give you stats on teenage pregnancy from liberal sources.